Carew 2

Hakin United 4

Justin Harding and Nicky Woodrow scored two goals apiece to secure Hakin United a titanic victory over Carew at the Bridge Meadow on Tuesday night.

The Vikings led 3-0 at half time, Justin Harding grabbed two goals and strike partner Nicky Woodrow added a third. After the break The Rooks mounted a terrific fightback, and pulled goals back through Ian Darbyshire and Alex Bayley, putting them right back in the game. Just 13 minutes from full time saw Woodrow grab a crucial fourth to earn his side victory.

The Vikings started the brighter as Ryan Wilson struck a low shot wide from distance, and Woodrow didn’t connect with a close range glancing header from a lovely weighted Jack Wilson cross, when the striker looked odds on to score.

The breakthrough came in the 25th minute, right sided midfielder Jack Wilson played a neat ball to Harding inside the box, and the striker quickly turned and struck a brilliant curling shot beyond the reach of Rooks’ keeper Tom Davies.

The Rooks pushed forward and were unlucky not to equalise when Scott Ferney flashed a rising shot across the face of Adrian Devonald’s goal, and left back Bradley Barrett put in a last ditch tackle to prevent Sam Christopher breaking clear.

However, Kristan Bennett’s Vikings added a second goal on 33 minutes, Adam John’s dangerous corner inside the box fell to Harding who turned and crisply finished into the back of the net.

Daniel Armstrong picked up a yellow card from referee Angus Scourfield for a foul, and from the resultant free-kick Jack Christopher skied over the bar. Minutes later saw Carew defender Shaun Whitfield also had his name taken for a clumsy tackle.

Woodrow ghosted in at the far post to score the Vikings’ third on 39 minutes, Harding’s pinpoint ball split the Rooks’ defence and Woodrow profited, and it gave his side a thoroughly deserved three goal cushion at half time.

Carew pulled a goal back in the 58th minute, a corner was met by a Jack Christopher header and Ian Darbyshire struck the bouncing ball cleanly into the back of the Vikings’ net.

In the 64th minute The Rooks’ impressive fight back was rewarded when Alex Bayley pounced on some poor defending in the six-yard box by The Vikings.

The Vikings eased their nerves when Woodrow bagged his second of the game to put his side 4-2 ahead. A long ball by Barrett put Harding in acres of space, the striker ran clear and looked up and played a neat crossfield ball to Woodrow who rounded Davies and tucked into the empty net – much to the relief of his Vikings’ teammates.

Hakin United have an excellent recent track record in the Senior Cup, having played previously in 13 finals, winning ten, and losing three.

The last time the Vikings won the cup was in 2012, when they crushed Monkton Swifts 5-0, and last appeared just two seasons later when narrowly losing 2-1 to Goodwick United.

The Vikings will feature against Clarbeston Road who will be playing in their second successive final, which will be played on the Conygar Bridge Meadow, on Saturday, April 21st.

This coming Saturday, Carew will look to quickly put this disappointing cup defeat against The Vikings behind them, and bounce back to winning ways when they have home advantage against Giants Grave, in WWFA Intermediate Cup quarter finals.

Carew: Tom Davies, Shaun Whitfield, Tom Grover, Jack Christopher, Ian Darbyshire, Iwan Izzard, Max Brindley, James Hinchliffe (60 Zac Rowell), Sam Christopher, Scott Ferney (86 Morgan Scourfield), Alex Bayley. Sub not used: Haydn Shapcott,

Hakin United: Adrian Devonald, Jake Merry, Bradley Barrett, Sion Price,Daniel Armstrong (65 Leigh Marchant), Craig Nicholson, Jack Wilson, Justin Harding, Nicky Woodrow (78 Shane Walsh), Ryan Wilson, Adam John. Sub not used: Jimmy Walker.

Referee: Angus Scourfield.

Assistants: Kevin Milich and Alan Boswell.

Fourth official: Paul Rooney.